A government agency has taken a swipe at low-carbohydrate diets like the Atkins programme, it emerged yesterday.

The advice, published on the Food Standards Agency's website, comes amid concern about the controversial diet.

Although the Atkins diet is not mentioned directly in the article written by a senior nutritionist at the agency, its introduction talks of the "publicity" surrounding low-carbohydrate regimes.

The Atkins diet - used by celebrities including Friends star Jennifer Aniston and singer Geri Halliwell - cuts out carbohydrates and boosts consumption of protein without having to avoid fatty foods.

Dr Robert Atkins, who developed the diet, believed carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice and starchy vegetables over-stimulated the production of insulin, resulting in hunger and weight gain.

However, Sam Church, senior scientific officer in the FSA's nutrition division, said carbohydrates were an "essential" part of a healthy balanced diet.

"Cutting out starchy foods, or any food group, can be bad for your health because you could be missing out on a range of nutrients. This type of diet also tends to be unrealistic and dull, and not palatable enough to be tolerated for a long time."

The advice said that low-carbohydrates diets "tend to be high in fat" leading to the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

"High-fat diets are also associated with obesity, which is currently increasing in the UK. People who are obese are more likely to develop conditions such as diabetes and some cancers."

A spokesman for the FSA said the article was not aimed directly at the Atkins model.

"You should have a balanced diet and a low-carbohydrate diet is not a balanced diet. But (the article) is not a direct rebuttal of the Atkins diet. We don't endorse or criticise specific diets."

He also played down suggestions that the website advice - written in a question and answer format - was prompted by continuing controversy over the Atkins diet.

"It is part of a lot of our advice on diet which we always have done so I am not quite sure about that suggestion. This is nutritional advice that has been around for ages."

The Atkins diet has seen a surge in popularity despite warnings from experts on both sides on the Atlantic that it is potentially dangerous.

A TV poll revealed earlier this month that as many as 7pc of British men and 10pc of women had tried or were using the diet.